1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to trailer hitches, and more particularly, to a system for alignment of a trailer hitch which allows a vehicle driver to easily align the vehicle hitch to a trailer tongue without assistance.
2. Description of Related Art
Trailer hitches for coupling a towing motor vehicle to a trailer are well known. Standard trailer hitches commonly include a socket on the tongue of a trailer for connection with a ball mounted on the towing bar of the towing vehicle. Coupling of the ball and socket requires the driver of the motor vehicle to rearwardly maneuver the vehicle until the ball of the hitch is vertically aligned with the socket of the trailer. Without assistance, the driver typically has difficulty maneuvering the ball into position for engagement with the socket since the ball and socket are outside the driver's field of vision. Even with assistance, vertical alignment of the trailer hitch components may be a frustrating and time consuming task.
A number of prior art references exist which attempt to assist the vehicle driver with the alignment and coupling of the trailer hitch. Such references include U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,183 issued to Cook, U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,815 to Penor, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,352 to Mills. These references are discussed briefly below.
In Cook '183, a hitch guide having a base is mounted upon the towing vehicle hitch and includes a pair of rearwardly projecting lateral guides forming a first cam surface. A second cam surface is connected to the trailer tongue. The cam surfaces cooperate to cause relative vertical displacement between the vehicle hitch and the trailer tongue as the vehicle nears the trailer, thereby aligning the trailer tongue during the rearward approach of the hitch until the ball and socket are in position for coupling.
The self aligning trailer hitch disclosed in Penor '815 includes a trailer tongue having a dual ball system, and a vehicle hitch having a multiple piece socket assembly including a rotatable receiving claw. During the alignment and coupling operation, the lower ball bears against the receiving claw causing the upward rotation of the receiving claw into a socket creating position, and the upward installation of a locking abutment to hold the ball in place and secure the rotating claw.
In Mills '352, the disclosed trailer hitch alignment device utilizes two masts with flags mounted upon the respective hitch components of the towing vehicle and the trailer. These masts, mounted on magnetic domes, serve as improved visual reference points for the driver.
Although each reference provides some assistance to a driver attempting to align and couple a trailer hitch, each device requires either an attachment to, or a modification of the standard trailer tongue. Therefore, there remains a need in the art for an alignment system that is simple in design and easy to use which does not require adaptation of every trailer tongue used with the system. The present invention provides such a system.